TNAG-0910-FCO40-1120-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 48

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(44) RA

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GR 430

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FM HONG KONG 228815Z AUG

DCSKDY 026800Z

INDEX

No

Придея

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1098 OF 2 AUGUST, 1979

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON,

YOUR TELNO 616: CHINA VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG.

43

see

B

80

1. I THINK CHINESE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION SHOULD BE DELAYED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND ONLY CONCEDED IN EXCHANGE FOR SOME REALLY SUBSTANTIAL ADVANTAGE. THE OBJECTIONS LIE IN THE NAME AND STYLE / (09 AND THEIR POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. BUT SO LONG AS THE NAME IS NOT CONCEDED THEIR IS BENEFIT TO BE DERIVED FROM THE SERVICES INCLUDING LIAISON, THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NORMALLY PROVIDE, MOREOVER THE EXISTENCE OF THE SERVICES, AND THE STATUS IN PRACTICE

NOW ACCORDED TO THE HEAD OF NONA, WILL LESSEN THE SHOCK WHEN AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE IS EVENTUALLY APPOINTED,

2. IT HAS THEREFORE BEEN OUR POLICY TO AGREE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVICES AND GRANTING OF PRIVILEGES, WHILE REFUSING THE NAME - AND STYLE.

3. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO THE CHINESE HAVING A SPECIAL OFFICE TO ISSUE VISAS IN HONG KONG, ALTHOUGH THIS INVOLVES A FURTHER AND OVERT CHINESE OFFICIAL PRESENCE IN HONG KONG, ALBEIT IN A NON-POLITICAL AND CIRCUMSCRIBED FIELD,

4. THERE CAN BE NO GOING BACK ON THIS AGREEMENT. ALL THAT IS HOW AT ISSUE IS WHETHER IT IS ACCEPTABLE THAT THE NAME OF THE

OFFICE SHOULD INDICATE THAT IT WORKS TO THE M.F.A. IN PEKING

INSTEAD OF TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AS PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED,

/5. YOUR

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